Packaging and applicator device

ABSTRACT

A packaging and applicator device includes a flask for containing a composition, the flask being made, in a monolithic manner, out of glass; and a removable applicator configured to close the flask and including an applicator element that is housed in the flask when the flask is closed by the applicator, the flask being configured in such a manner as to wipe the applicator element when the element is removed from the flask.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This non provisional application claims the benefit of FrenchApplication No. 05 50404 filed on Feb. 11, 2005 and U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 60/656,725 filed on Feb. 28, 2005, the entiredisclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to packaging and applicator devices, andin particular to packaging and applicator devices for containing acosmetic composition.

French patent application FR 2 515 941 describes a packaging andapplicator device for mascara, the device comprising a flask that can bemade out of glass or out of molded plastics material, and having a neckthat includes a fitted wiper member that can be compressed to a greateror lesser extent by an adjustable ring that is screwed on the neck. Sucha device, having a flask that is not made in a monolithic manner sinceit includes a fitted wiper member, is relatively complex and costly.

French patent application FR 2 733 734 describes a packaging andapplicator device comprising a flask that is made in a monolithic mannerwith a neck out of plastics material, and on which a closure cap can bescrewed. The neck presents an inside section that is narrow enough to beable to wipe an applicator element that is connected via a stem to theclosure cap.

The presence of the threaded neck imposes a certain outside diameter onthe body of the flask and makes the device rather bulky.

In addition, in the absence of the conventionally used elastomer wipermember, it can turn out to be relatively difficult to seal the closurethroughout the lifetime of the device, given that it is not intended forsingle use only.

Patents and patent applications No. U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,224, U.S. Pat.No. 5,466,081, JP 2004-187901, and JP 2001-346626 describe furtherpackaging and applicator devices.

In spite of the number and the diversity of known devices, a need existsto benefit from a packaging and applicator device that is attractive tothe consumer and that is capable of being manufactured at relatively lowcost.

In one of its aspects, the invention provides a packaging and applicatordevice comprising:

-   -   a flask for containing a composition, the flask being made out        of glass in a monolithic manner; and    -   a removable applicator configured to close the flask and        comprising an applicator element that is housed in the flask        when said flask is closed by the applicator, the flask being        configured in such a manner as to wipe the applicator element        when said element is removed from the flask.

Making the flask out of glass guarantees compatibility with any cosmeticor dermatological composition, whatever of the solvents or activeingredients used. Glass also constitutes an effective barrier againstthe diffusion of oxygen, air, or solvents. The risk of the compositionspoiling during storage is thus reduced.

Furthermore, the use of glass makes it possible to reduce the amount ofstatic electrical charge that accumulate between the flasks on thepackaging lines.

The absence of a fitted wiper member reduces production costs and canenable the device to be distributed as a sample, if necessary.

Another advantage associated with the invention is that it is relativelyeasy to make flask bodies in a variety of lengths and/or with differentinternal constrictions from the same glass rod, thereby making the flaskeasily adaptable to various sizes and types of applicator elements.

In addition, the manufacturing tolerances imposed on the flask can besmall, thereby making it easier to produce.

The applicator advantageously includes a stem provided, at a distal endof the applicator element, the stem comprising a portion configured tobe force-fitted in the neck. The applicator element can optionally befitted to the stem and can present an envelope surface of section thatis greater than that of the stem portion to which it is fitted.

A portion of the stem can provide sealing when the flask is closed bythe applicator.

Making the flask out of glass makes said flask relatively hard, therebymaking it easy to compress the plastics material of the stem and toobtain the desired sealing.

The applicator can be fixed on the flask in a simple manner, therebysimplifying the production of the applicator and of the flask. Inparticular, the flask may not have a threading, and the applicator maynot have a corresponding closure cap. If so desired, the flask may bemade with an outside section that is relatively small.

In a preferred embodiment, the body of the flask presents a circularlycylindrical side wall. This enables the flask to be made easily by usingconventional glass-molding techniques, and thus enables the flask to bemade at particularly low cost. Furthermore, this can make it easier toremove the composition from the flask, in particular when thecomposition is mascara and the applicator element is a brush.

The use of glass also imparts an attractive appearance to the device,enables the consumer to see the color of the composition directly, andavoids the use of an additional colored indicator. Furthermore, thetransparency of the flask can enable the user to evaluate more easilythe amount of composition remaining, and to remove any composition thatis situated on the inside surface of the flask.

The invention thus makes it possible to reduce wasted composition, andthus to reduce accordingly the amount of composition presents in theflask, if necessary.

Thus, in spite of the presence of a relatively small amount ofcomposition, the invention makes it possible to makeup the eyelashescompletely at least once, e.g. while trying out a new product.

In an embodiment, the portion of the stem that is arranged to beforce-fitted in the neck comprises an annular projection. Such aprojection can be compressed, indeed flattened when the applicator is inplace in the flask, and can thus make it possible to improve stillfurther the sealing and/or to make the flask and the stem with greatermanufacturing tolerances.

In an embodiment, the applicator comprises a handle portion that is madein a monolithic manner with the rest of the stem. The handle portion maycomprise a collar arranged to come to bear axially against the topsection of the neck.

By way of example, the portion of the stem that is situated outside theflask when said flask is closed may present a length that is superior orequal to the length of the portion of the stem that is inside the flask.

The stem may comprise a distal portion of, for example, truncated coneshape, converging towards the applicator element, thereby making iteasier to insert the stem through the neck, and thereby reducing therisk of creating excess pressure in the flask while the applicator isbeing returned, or of creating low pressure while the applicator isbeing removed.

In an embodiment, the stem may comprise an inner recess which opens outto the distal end of the stem, said inner recess serving to secure theapplicator element on the stem, for example.

By way of example, the applicator element may be a brush, as mentionedabove, in particular a brush comprising a twisted metal core andbristles clamped between the turns of the core.

The applicator element may also be something other than a brush, inparticular it may be a brush that does not have a twisted metal core,its bristles being held by being embedded in holes in the core. Theapplicator element may also not have bristles and may be constituted bya comb, for example, which may, where appropriate, comprise teeth thatare made in a monolithic manner with the stem by molding plasticsmaterial.

The composition contained in the flask may be for applying to keratinousfibers, said composition comprising pigments or other fillers, forexample, and being constituted by mascara, for example.

The applicator element may also comprise a flocked endpiece. Whereappropriate and while being removed from the flask, the applicatorelement can be wiped in a non-uniform manner, so as to cause, forexample, a greater quantity of composition to be left locally on theapplicator element.

The flask may comprise a body and a neck, said neck possibly presentinga wall that is thicker than the wall of the body so as to form anarrowing of the inside section of the flask, with said narrowingserving to wipe the applicator element.

Over a major fraction of the length of the neck, the said neck maypresent an inside surface that is cylindrical, in particular circularlycylindrical.

The thickness of the glass in the body of the flask may be less than orequal to 0.6 millimeters (mm), for example.

The quantity of composition contained in the flask before it is used forthe first time may be less than or equal to 3 milliliters (mL), beingless than or equal to 2 mL, for example, in particular less than orequal to 1 mL.

In a variant embodiment, the neck includes a throat formed by hotknurling.

The invention also provides a method of promoting the sale of a cosmeticproduct, in which a sample constituted by a device made in accordancewith the invention is distributed, the flask being filled with theproduct being promoted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention can be better understood on reading the following detaileddescription of non-limiting embodiments thereof, and on examining theappended drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal section view of an example of adevice made in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view showing the stem of the FIG. 1 applicator,taken separately;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section view showing both the distal end of thestem and the applicator element in a variant embodiment of theinvention; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic and partial longitudinal section view showing theneck of the flask and the portion of the applicator that is engaged insaid flask.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The packaging and applicator device 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprises firstlya flask comprising a body 2 of longitudinal axis X and a neck 3 that ismade in a monolithic manner with the body 2 by turning or knurling aglass rod, and secondly a removable applicator 4 comprising a stem 24,shown separately in FIG. 2, provided with an applicator element 6 thatis constituted by a brush in the embodiment under consideration.

The body 2 contains a product P such as mascara, for example, with thevolume of product lying in the range 1 mL to 3 mL, for example.

The stem 24 includes a handle portion 7 provided, at its base, with acollar 8 that comes to bear axially against the top section of the neck3 when the flask is closed by the applicator, as can be seen in FIG. 1,and a distal portion 9 internally provided with a recess 10. In theembodiment under consideration, the recess serves to fixe the applicatorelement 6, which comprises a metal core 11 constituted by two twistedbranches of a wire that has been folded in half, with bristles 12 beingclamped between the turns in the core 11.

Over a major fraction of its length, the neck 3 presents an insidesurface 13 that is circularly cylindrical about the longitudinal axis X,and of diameter that is adapted to wipe the applicator element 6, e.g.of smallest diameter less than or equal to 4.30 mm.

The stem 24 presents a portion 14 for force-fitting into the neck 3 andthat is provided with an annular projection 15 making it possible toimprove the sealing of the closure, the projection 15 being situatedaxially, substantially at the height of the end wall 16 of the recess10, in the embodiment under consideration.

Apart from at the projection 15, the outside diameter d₁ of the portion14 lies in the range 3 mm to 5 mm, for example, with said diameter beingclose to 3.95 mm, for example. The inside diameter of the surface 13lies in the range 3 mm to 5 mm, with said diameter being close to 4.05mm, for example. The radius of the projection 15, which is semi-circularin section, lies in the range 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm, with said radius beingabout 0.2 mm, for example.

The thickness e of the side wall 25, which is circularly cylindricalabout the axis X of the body 2, lies in the range 0.4 mm to 0.7 mm, withsaid thickness being about 0.55 mm, for example.

The diameter d₃ of the envelope surface of the applicator element 6 isgreater than the inside diameter d₂, such that the applicator element 6is wiped while the applicator 4 is being removed.

The inside diameter d₄ of the side wall 25 of the body 2 is less than orequal to 1.2 times greater than d₃, better less than 1.12 times greaterthan d₃, thereby making it fairly easy for the user to load theapplicator element 6 with the product that is present, in particular,near the top of the side wall 25.

Naturally, various modifications can be applied to the invention.

Thus, the invention is not limited to a particular applicator element 6,and FIG. 3 shows an embodiment in which the applicator element 6 isconstituted by a flocked endpiece fitted in a housing 18 at the distalend of the stem 24.

In a variant not shown, the endpiece is made integrally with the stem 24by molding.

In the embodiment in FIG. 3 and by way of example, the applicatorelement 6 is for applying a product to the lips, e.g. a liquid lipstickor a lipgloss.

While being removed from the flask, the applicator element 6 can bewiped in non-uniform manner, in particular when the applicator elementpresents a free end 19 that is off-center relative to the longitudinalaxis X.

Thus, the top face 20 of the applicator element can be wiped more thanits bottom face 21.

The neck 3 can also be made with an external groove 22 formed byknurling, as shown in FIG. 4, the groove 22 defining a constriction inthe inside section of the neck, matching the diameter of the stem 24 ofthe applicator 4.

The device 1 can optionally be for single use only.

The product P can contain fibers or other macroparticles such asglitter, for example.

Throughout the description, including in the claims, the expression“comprising a” should be understood as being synonymous with “comprisingat least one” unless specified to the contrary.

Although the present invention herein has been described with referenceto particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodimentsare merely illustrative of the principles and applications of thepresent invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerousmodifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that otherarrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scopeof the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

1. A packaging and applicator device comprising: a flask for containinga composition, the flask being made, in a monolithic manner, out ofglass; and a removable applicator configured to close the flask andcomprising an applicator element that is housed in the flask when saidflask is closed by the applicator, the flask being configured in such amanner as to wipe the applicator element when said element is removedfrom the flask.
 2. A device according to claim 1, comprising a stemprovided at a distal end of the applicator element, the stem comprisinga portion configured to be force-fitted in a neck of the flask.
 3. Adevice according to claim 1, wherein the flask does not have athreading.
 4. A device according to claim 2, wherein the portion that isarranged to be force-fitted in the neck includes an annular projection.5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the flask comprises a bodypresenting a side wall that is substantially circularly cylindrical. 6.A device according to claim 1, wherein the applicator comprises a handleportion that is made in a monolithic manner with a distal portion.
 7. Adevice according to claim 6, wherein the handle portion comprises acollar arranged to come to bear axially against the top section of theneck.
 8. A device according to claim 2, wherein a portion of the stemthat is situated outside the flask when said flask is closed presents alength that is superior or equal to the length of a portion of the stemthat is inside the flask.
 9. A device according to claim 2, wherein thestem comprises a distal portion of truncated cone shape, convergingtowards the applicator element.
 10. A device according to claim 2,wherein the stem comprises an inner recess which opens out to the distalend of the stem.
 11. A device according to claim 1, wherein theapplicator element is a brush.
 12. A device according to claim 1,wherein the composition contained in the flask is for applying tokeratinous fibers.
 13. A device according to claim 1, wherein theapplicator element comprises a flocked endpiece.
 14. A device accordingto claim 1, wherein the flask comprises a neck presenting a wall that isthicker than the wall of the body of the flask.
 15. A device accordingto claim 1, wherein the quantity of composition contained in the flaskbefore it is used for the first time is less than or equal to 3 mL.